A 21-day quarantine on anyone wishing to travel from West Africa would be "the best and quickest means of keeping Ebola isolated while a vaccine is being developed rather than a travel ban," according to Rep. Joe Pitts, R-Pa., chairman of the House Energy Subcommittee on Health.

In an exclusive interview with Newsmax in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, Pitts said he agreed with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Tom Frieden that "the problem with a ban on people coming to the U.S. from Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia [where an estimated 4,400 people have so far died from the Ebola epidemic] is that carriers would simply go to other countries and get a flight to the United States.

"A travel ban would be impossible to enforce."

But, Pitts added, "A quarantine and not a travel ban could be enforced. If there were a 21-day quarantine on anyone wishing to travel from West Africa, it would be the best and quickest means of keeping Ebola isolated while a vaccine is being developed."

The 21-day figure is a key one, since Ebola symptoms typically appear within 21 days. Patients vomiting or with diarrhea will spread the disease.

Pitts emphasized to Newsmax that he talks to the CDC's Frieden "a lot and we communicate a lot."

In contrast to several other Republicans, the health subcommittee chairman said he does not want Frieden to resign and that "this is not an opportune time to pile on anyone over Ebola."

Pitts, one of the key congressional players in the current furor over the deadly epidemic, also said he opposed President Obama's decision Friday to name Ron Klain as "Ebola czar."

Instead of appointing a new "official" who has political expertise and no medical expertise," the Pennsylvanian told Newsmax, "the best move now would be to strengthen the hand of the CDC director and get him the support he needs to deal with Ebola as soon as possible."

In his own Lancaster-Chester County district, Pitts said he is "reaching out to all of the hospitals and had phone conversations with their CEOs to hear their preparedness for Ebola. This was really effective. The CEOs appreciated the outreach and attentiveness, and they felt like they could tell me about what they're doing."

"I think other members of Congress should have similar outreach to the hospitals in their own districts," Pitts said.

John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax.

A 21-day quarantine on anyone traveling from West Africa would be "the best and quickest means of keeping Ebola isolated" — superior to a travel ban — until a vaccine is developed, GOP Rep. Joe Pitts, chairman of the House subcommittee on health, says.